Greenberg's Train Show or How to Become a Booth Babe

My in-laws build and sell accessories for model trains. While most of the sales are through distributors and on-line, some are through train shows. Since 1976, Greenberg's Toy & Train Show has been the largest traveling show featuring operating model train displays, hard-to-find railroad items and much more according to their web-site. And despite the bad economy, model railroading is alive and well. This was the first time I had attended a train show. My previous experience with shows was when I was working with a jewelry designer and we did shows like the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington DC. So I asked my mother in-law what the appropriate attire was for a train show booth babe. Should I bring a dress, a skirt, nice pants, specific colors to complement the booth? She just laughed and said to wear something that would fit in with bib overalls and train hats. Hmm..... do I OWN bib overalls or a train hat......and where might these items be purchased..... so much to do to get ready. I settled on tan pants and a variety of plain tee shirts in solid colors. Then I had to learn about my product. My father in-law designs, makes and sells power controllers for G scale (that's Garden scale or the big outdoor model trains) layouts. He has recently designed a controller for HO Scale (that's the Lionel small size that you may have had in a basement layout or under your Christmas tree). These power controllers have an excellent reputation and are sold under his company Bridgewerks. But they are VERY complicated if you are trying to quickly learn all the lingo and information about them..... like they are "pure DC" (I think that is direct current).... and they have volts and amps and that is not the same thing and the number is not the only thing you should think about and they are track powered and.... I decided that my in-laws could talk them up. I decided to stick with the latest product - billboards. My father in-law designed to-scale billboards for G scale layouts. They are made of metal with metal interchangeable signs and are built to be put in an outdoor layout  withstanding weather. You buy the billboards separately and because they have magnets on the back, you can change them. Recently, he designed to-scale HO billboards with refrigerator-type magnets that attach to the metal sign. Greenberg's was the debut for this new product. The billboards are sold under the company name Mountain Billboards. Now that product information was easier to learn.

Before we left North Carolina to drive to the show, my father in-law decided that we needed matching show shirts. So we got black and red Land's short sleeve polo shirts. And with our tan pants, we looked very professional. We loaded the mini-van and took off. The show was held in Timonium MD.... that's on the other side of DC. And no matter when you drive through the DC area, you hit traffic.... LOTS of traffic. We finally arrived, set up and headed to the hotel for dinner and bed.
I was very excited to be doing a show again. I lay in bed remembering all the wonderful art at the craft shows I had attended when making jewelry. And the amazing artists that I met.... and the lovely customers..... 
We arrived bright and early at the Exhibition Hall on the Fairgrounds. The show filled the space with not only rows and rows of tables/booths, but several large layouts.

I took a few moments to wander a bit. While most of the vendors were selling train related stuff, many were also selling toys - old old toys, not-so-old toys, comic books, Barbie dolls. When I went by the entrance, the lobby was packed full of waiting customers!

 

I hurried back to the booth to be ready. The doors opened and we were off. Now, I am an experienced booth babe. I know how to look encouragingly at the customers and make pleasant conversation while describing the features of the products. But that was all with ladies looking at jewelry. Model train shoppers are a bit different. First of all, the shoppers are mainly men. And second..... well, they aren't wearing Gucci and they aren't interested in how the billboard will bring out the colors in their layout. So I smile at the gentleman who is standing in front of the table studying the metal billboards tastefully displayed and I say (in my best salesperson voice), "Aren't they cute?" And he slowly looks up at me and replies, "Honey, you NEVER tell a man that something looks cute. That's death for the sales." I suppose I should describe this shopper... he was quite tall and bald with an earring and a belly and he looked like the motorcycle was parked outside. So, maybe "cute" was the wrong approach....
Sales were busy Saturday morning when all the serious model railroaders rushed in to get the ONE thing they needed for their layout and then left. The afternoon was D-E-A-D! And Sunday was all families with small busy children who wanted to touch and play with everything. By 2:30, things were not selling and we were beat. So at 3pm, we started to pack up. Now, for those of you who haven't done shows, the show organizers really don't like vendors to pack up until the show has officially closed. Some organizers will even penalize vendors who start to pack early. Our show ended at 4pm. But we threw caution to the wind and were packed and outta there by 3:40pm. I must say that, overall, it was a great time. And I am happily looking forward to the two shows in December. I'm thinking a bit of greenery and ribbons to brighten up the booth.....

                                                 Boys and their toys